PM apologises for remark on Vajpayee

New Delhi: With the BJP continuing to disrupt the Parliament over Congress MP Beni Prasad Verma’s derogatory remark on Vajpayee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took the lead Wednesday and offered an apology on behalf of the government.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, the PM, who has yesterday night arrived from Russia, said, “I was not present in the house (yesterday), but I have learnt that some very undesirable development took place.”

“A member of our ruling coalition said something that was inappropriate; with regard to Vajpayee those words where used. I on behalf of our government apologise that those words should not have been used,” the PM said.

Beni Prasad Verma had invited the wrath of the saffron brigade –during the Liberhan debate – for using slang Bhojpuri word `neech` to refer to Vajpayee as someone of ‘low standing’.

Verma, Member of Parliament from Gonda in UP, had also poked fun at Leader of the Opposition LK Advani, contending that he had no business to debate about the birthplace of Lord Ram. ``Does he know where he was born? He was scared of Muslims, so he came running to India,’’ Verma said.

BJP and allies had created pandemonium in the
house and sought an apology from the Congress MP for ``using an unparliamentary language against former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani.’’

But Verma refused to apologise and had only expressed regret for his remarks, if it had hurt anybody’s sentiments.

However, understanding the political implications of the issue, the PM took the lead today and apologised on behalf of the government – a move, that is sure to have come as a surprise even to the BJP.